2018-20 ASPEC - better than 2021s?
 

It's still early, but based on what I'm reading on the Acurazine TLX 2G forums, I think the 1G V6 ASPECs of 2018-20might end up being a cult classic. I have a 2018 v6 ASPEC and I think it looks better than than the 2Gs with better Jewel eyes (except for the ugly night orange bracket around the jewels), a better back side & exhaust pipes, no weird plate around the Acura front grille logo. The SHAWD handling is amazing. Also, everyone wants new tech but the good old J35 V6 engine appears to be superior than the 2.0t and yes the dual screen infotainment was panned by most, but I actually like it better with both a touch screen and a navi/Android Auto/Apple Auto screen up top than dealing with a touch pad much lower than the tablet screen it corresponds with. Okay the ZF9 has had it's issues but it's actually decent on the ASPEC vs. the 2015-17s. Yes, the 1G TLX deserved the pinata beating on here in many ways, but is the 2018-20 ASPEC SHAWD a hidden gem that might stand the test of time? That's what it feels like to me. I am not driving it as much during the Vid, but I'm actually starting to miss driving it, to the point where I'm finding excuses to hop in and run errands, and enjoying the ride when I do. :2cents:

that's because you're biased.
if you owned any other car, you would say the same exact thing, biased towards the car you owned/bought

There is no doubt in my mind, the 2G TLX is the better car all around. you just have too much invested; time and money into the 1G to realize this.

The A-Spec doesn't drive any better than the regular versions, so unless people get a hard-on for an appearance package, no it's not going to be a cult classic. Might as well go ahead and anoint the TRD Camry as a cult classic too :p

This is a classic example of the endowment effect or mere-ownership effect. People tend to overvalue things that they own.

Maybe I shouldn't have used the word "better," because I'm sure the 2G is probably the overall better, that's why I think maybe the 2018-20 1G is more of a cult classic, there's only three years of that look with the larger jewel eyes and diamond grille. I leased the 2015 FWD, and think the beak grille sux compared to the 2018, and doesn't handle as well as the 2018 SHAWD, plus than transmission on the 2015 was awful. I've had other cars I purchased and hated, so it's not just that I own it, and yes I like the look of the ASPEC package better than the standard package, which I mentioned. I actually do like the TRD Camry lol :)

You're basing this "review" without driving the 2G TLX it seems. Which means you're basing your opinion off the driving experiences of YouTubers and car reviews. If you want to talk about aesthetics, have you seen the 2G TLX in person yet? Aesthetics is all subjective anyway so not even worth debating.

You're entitled to your opinion, but how can you give a full opinion when you haven't even driven the 2G TLX. You say the v6 seems to be superior, by what measure exactly? I love my V6 and V6 engines in general, they have a great feel, but there are plenty of turbo i4 engines out there that would give any NA V6 a run for its money.

No I haven't test drove the 2G TLX, nor have I seen one in person yet. However, for me to say the 1G is better or worse than the 2G without driving and seeing it in person wouldn't be a fair comparison.

Given the recent MotorTrend numbers on 2021, I'd say 2018-2020 is the better actual performer. I have absolutely zero interest whatsoever in the 2021s, given their actual performance, despite how nice the materials may be and how sporty the steering may be. 2021 is way too darn slow. The 2018-2020 V6 is not slow.

The 2021 is a terrible value for what it is, given the cost vs. actual performance. The 2020 is an amazing value for what it is, given cost with current incentives vs. actual performance.

My intent wasn't to dog the 2G at all, it's a beautiful car and I'm sure fun to drive. Just showing a little love for the 1.5G and its unique attributes that I like. Fair point about not test driving one. I have not. I could have extended the lease on my 2018 to wait and test drive the new model, but for the reasons I stated I decided to buy mine out. Both aesthetics (which I understand is subjective) and the V6 (I drive in the mountains a lot) with SHAWD is a sweet spot for me. And the fact you can only find this particular look and trim in a 3-year period I think will make it a somewhat unique car in the long run, hence my use of the word "cult classic." I really wasn't trying to be provocative and say it's definitely better than the 2G, more of a fun post to show a little love for us who enjoy this car. The 2G looks like a classic in itself and I strongly considered hanging on and making the switch, so I'm not trying to denigrate it in any way.

One more note: While I didn't test drive the 2G, a friend at my local Acura dealership let me drive a RDX with the 2.0t and new infotainment setup, which I understand is pretty close to what the 2G TLX uses. I like the touch screen better than the touch pad, and wasn't blown away with the turbo engine. When I hopped back in my TLX, it just felt so much better to me. Yes that is far from a test drive but it contributed to my decision. I do really like the placement of the cell phone wireless charger in the 2G way better than 1G. But it looks like the steering wheel volume is no longer a scroll wheel? That's one of my favorite things about the 1G! It's such a smooth way to toggle the volume.

Just because it's "unique" (which it really isn't since most MMC TLX's I see are A-Spec models) doesn't mean it's going to be more desirable. It's not like people are lining up to pick up Nissan Rogue: Rogue One Star Wars Editions and Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 edition cars.

When did I say it's going to be more desirable? Just posting my opinion that that it will have a nice place in the Acura pantheon when it's all said and done. Maybe not. That's hilarious about the Star Wars and Call of Duty editions. I had to rent a Nissan Rogue once. My dog puked in the back seat. I really couldn't blame him.

I guess I assume “cult classic” would require some level of desirability among the “cult”. Otherwise why would anyone want one in the future?

Gotcha. I have no doubt that the vast majority of consumers will gravitate to the 2G, so I don't think the 1G MMC will be "more" desirable among the general population, but I have a hunch that there will be a cult (small but passionate group) who will think it's "better" for their own personal reasons, probably similar to the ones I listed (aesthetics, engine, infotainment). It may be a car people seek out on the used market for a great car at a better value and arguments for being better in some ways than the 2G. It seems to be faster with about the same gas mileage according to some of the numbers being posted on the 2G forum. I think it will find its place as a really solid Acura offering that most people didn't know about/forgot about in the years to come.

the issue is; there are way better "used" cars to buy than a 1G MMC TLX.
If I were in the market for a used car, it wouldnt be a 1st gen TLX at all.
there are WAAAAAAY better cars that can do everything and more than the TLX.

If I were to buy a USED car right now, it would be a 2015 Macan S and or a 2015 Mustang GT, BOTH of which are holding their value way better than the 2018 TLX... BOTH of which can do the same things the TLX can do, but even better.

I think the 2021s may sell well, particularly that Type-S. I have no interest in a 2021 due to price and size, but I think it may sell well.

Here is why:

Honest assessment. My new 2020 TLX was recently having a bunch of dealer installed accessories added as part of the new car purchase. They gave me a very new 2020 RDX as a loaner for a day, so I had a good chance to compare them.

The new RDX is very sporty and honestly very fun to drive in certain situations. I can see why it sells so well. It is quick to launch and impressive 0-30 with excellent low end torque when the turbo kicks in. It is very fun to drive around the city, if you drive in an aggressive way that gets terrible mpg. It is also very modern. The RDX beats my TLX off the line to 30. RDX is fun to quickly accelerate around vehicles in a different lane.

However the TLX is much faster than the RDX above 30 and for any highway passing is much faster. Also the TLX had MUCH BETTER road noise. The very high road noise was my least favorite thing about the 3G RDX. The RDX feels more modern and sporty than the 1G TLX, but it does not feel like a luxury vehicle. The 1G TLX drives more like a refined luxury vehicle.

The RDX is more fun to drive around town, if driven a certain way. The TLX is better for highway driving, cruising, and daily driver commuting, which is how it will primarily be used.

That's the only thing I dont like about my TLX is that 0-30 seems slower than I'd like - am I doing something wrong? I haven't tried Sport+ yet, should I? But it has fantastic acceleration above 30 and is smooth, quiet, and more refined.

With that said, the 3G RDX is fun to drive around town, so if the 2G TLX can replicate that, I'm sure it will sell well, especially a Type S. It's just too big and expensive for me.

^I agree with your analysis when it comes to a more modern, up-to-date environment. I, too, had a RDX loaner, and I disagree that it's more fun driving around town. My driving experience is the TLX beats it there, too. The 2.0T has better low-end or mid range torque, but the power delivery is not linear and just so unsatisfying. Since the 2G performs quite similar to the RDX, I have absolutely no interest in it, save the looks.

The J35 makes peak torque at 6500-7000 RPM. you really gotta rev the engine ALL the way out to extract power...that's just the characteristic of the J-series engine. it was made to do that.
understandably; 0-30, one is not really revving the engine all the way to 7k....most likely you're hitting 3.5k RPM at the max.....then it switches into the next gear. which means; you're not even in the power band.

this is where turbo engines shine...max torque is available at 1500 RPM all the way to 3500!!!!!!!!!

Do you have a V6 FWD or SHAWD? I really wanted the SHAWD but got a FWD specifically due to all the vibration issues I read on multiple forums.

Well my V6 TLX is new so I'm still getting familiar with it, so I haven't pushed it as hard as I push a loaner or something I'm not responsible for yet. I have never put it in Sport+ yet, so maybe I haven't utilized it to it's full potential. It really does pass effortlessly on the highway in sport mode, much better than the 3G RDX.

I also got the FWD instead of SHAWD due to all the vibration issues I've read about. Had I not read about those, I never would have thought twice about SHAWD and EASILY would have gotten SHAWD for fun and performance. We have no winter so SHAWD for me would be all about fun vs. necessity.

In any case, this is primarily a commuter vehicle so it serves its purpose very well in being an upgrade to the 9G Accord.

I have the V6 A-Spec w/ SH-AWD. Did you test drive a SH-AWD unit and experience vibrations after reading the comments? Just as my ZF9 has none of the issues so many claim exist, I've never once experienced any vibrations in my drivetrain, at any speed.

Mine too has been fine with no vibration issues and no transmission strangeness......I believe most of that was eliminated by the 2018 MY.

it all has to do with the characteristics of the engine, or the purpose of the engine's intent.

by design, a larger engine will have more passing power at highway speeds. thus why you like your car better when passing at highway speeds.
one of the downfalls of a small displacement turbo, is that it doesnt have enough grunt at highway speeds... this is all due to it's design. or it's intent.

so, yes...you'll have to rev the heck out of your car to get a better 0-30 sprint....by design.
whereas a small displacement turbo, will have grunt right out of the gate. by design.

so, stop being scared and put it into Sport+ to make it rev higher to get more power from the car.
I assure you; the car, or rather the engine is designed to rev to 7k to make the most power.
this is what people refer to as the power delivery being linear...power starts off low, then gradually increases as the RPMs rise.
a turbo's power delivery will be what they call a wall. starts at 0 then hits a ladder or a vertical line on the dyno graph very early on in the RPM's

The highest RPM I ever done in my 4G TL with the 6 speed auto is 4500k rpm and that was going up a slightly inclined expressway. Lol I baby my car too much and I thought that was abusing it.

lol no way!

abusing it would mean launching the car really really hard at every stop and go, putting a lot of stress on the drive-train, specifically the AWD system.
another way of abusing it would be to "money shift", meaning putting it into the wrong lower gear at a high RPM. this will damage the head, more specifically the valves...the piston will kiss the valves.
on upshifts, the computer will cut fuel at 7000RPM, meaning you wont be able to hurt it on upshifts....different story on downshifts, because it will mechanically over-rev, overcoming the valve springs, which lets the piston hit the valves.

another way to abuse it is to ride the clutch. obviously, everyone knows why riding the clutch is bad.
however; to get smooth shifts one needs to ride the clutch to some degree. Holding the clutch on a hill is also bad for the clutch and this is another form of abuse.

one can also break motor mounts, by not blipping the throttle to rev match on down shifts...without rev matching the engine will rock back and forth possibly breaking the mounts.

at 4500k RPM, you didnt even engage vtec. vtec or variable valve timing is when the cams switches to a more aggressive profile, allowing peak HP and peak Torque.

Thanks for the comparison! I am in the market for a RDX, and so I am very interested in this comparison. I love my 1G TLX for all the things that you mentioned above, and I also dislike it for the slower acceleration from 0 to 30. However, as you mentioned, it is such a lovely highway cruiser! My friends always commented on how smooth and quiet it is. When I test drove the 2G TLX, it did feel faster and more nimble. I also love the new interior and the new sound system is phenomenal!

Regarding road noise though, which RDX did you drive? I heard that the Platinum Elite/Advance trim is quiet due to the acoustic glass, but then the other trims without it was noisier. Which trim did you drive please?

I drove both a Tech AWD and Base FWD RDX. Road noise was equally bad and unacceptable. There was some wind noise, but it was mostly road noise from the tires.

Which TLX do you have? I have V6 Tech. I wanted SHAWD but read NUMEROUS issues with highway vibrations at speeds I typically drive at and the ZF9 seemed to be more touchy with the AWD models. I find the ZF9 smooth, not fast, but smooth. It's a very nice comfortable premium commuter.

I did have a 2015 SHAWD TLX loaner years ago. I recall that seemed more "fun" to drive and was decent 0-30 since it launched with rear bias, but the ZF9 in that vehicle was a jerky mess. It was terrible. The ZF9 in the 2020 FWD is fine. There may have been vibration - I dont remember, since the ZF9 overshadowed most of my other memories of that vehicle. I've always liked the seats, audio, and interior of the 1G TLX.

I am with you I test drove 2021 TLX Aspec Sh-AWD over the weekend and one thing I notice was the V6 roar which is now gone due to 4 cylinders turbo. It is a good car don't get me wrong but I like mine as I do drive 2019 TLX Aspec Sh-AWD I really enjoy the ride as is. Also I am not a big fan of turbo but I totally understand Acura is doing that to keep the power and fuel economy at a balance. The 2021 feels lighter to me but I might be wrong shape wise I believe it will do good but we will find that later what kind of bugs Acura have to clear as it is so new at the moment.

I'm actually looking at a 2019 Acura TLX Red A-Spec.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...1e01d23358.jpg
I like the 2021 as well but it's way too expensive for what you get. I could care less about the infotainment system since I'm so use to the one in my 2013 TL Technology Package.

With current incentives you can probably get a NEW 2020 A-Spec V6 for close to that price, if the inventory is still available. I got $10k off with loyalty end of Sep.

Hopefully I can haggle down with this dealer. I love my 2013 Acura TL but the paint quality is starting to go bad in certain places due to the previous owner having being rear ended and fixing it at their expense and not thru insurance. They basically did a complete tape job so there's sign of overspray around the weatherstripping and fuel door black inner plastic. It looks like they went to Maaco. The blend is perfect but I feel like the prep was done cheaply. Dealer offered me 9K for my car and I owe 7k left so I don't think it's a good deal at the moment.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...b7c545b4a8.jpg

How many miles and what trim is your 2013 TL? You can try to negotiate trade in to at least KBB value. Paint failure may limit it to "Fair" condition.

I have a 2013 Acura TL with Technology. Car has 87,300 miles and all service records done at the dealership. Timing belt and spark plugs both done at 84k miles recently. I feel like they are giving me a poor value estimate for trade in. Mechanically the car drives like brand new and the paint is in great shape besides small flaws which only I notice.
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...bfc5739e0e.jpg
Here's a pic of it. Car has zero dents or dings due to me parking in end spots.

OK. In that case you'd be on the low side of good. $10-10.5k is reasonable for your trade. $11k max but would be tough to get.

That's not bad at all. This car has been a tank throughout the years of ownership. Had I known about the accident I probably would have never purchased it but it never showed on the Carfax. I was young and all I saw at the time was a shinny white car. I want AWD due to me living in Connecticut where winter is ugly so I decided I want a reliable AWD Vehicle and I want to stick with Acura.

Does the accident currently show on Carfax? If so that would lower the amounts a little. I'd accept $10k if the accident currently shows on Carfax, but no harm in trying to start/negotiate higher.

I haven't looked into the carfax since I purchased it a dealership which is known for buying cars at auctions (At the time of purchase I had no clue). Only history I have now is of the airbag recall being done and an issues with a rotor that caused vibration from the previous owner who leased the car. All this info was obtain from Acura Service history prior to me purchasing it.

i'll buy it for $7k

Lol Are you serious? I always thought you had a 4th Gen.

Try to sell it privately (not to justin). Dealer trade in value sucks. About a month ago I was dicking around at the Honda dealership to test drive a Ridgeline and inquired on trade in for my car. They never actually saw it and I didn't tell them it's modified but they offered me 9500 CAD for a 2012 sh-awd 82,000 miles with tech package and body kit. Could get 5grand more for it privately without even trying.

Lol Gonna see what I can get for it privately. I'm in no rush to sell it at the moment since the car is performing so well. I gotta replace the windshield eventually due to rock pits all over from my highway drive to work. All of my miles are highway. That's insane how they just throw a low ball price without even driving the car. They drove mine around the dealership lot then told me the car was in an accident but didn't t show me any carfax and said it was a visual inspection of the rear bumper cover and a gap between the tail light having 3 tiny specks of overspray.

I have a 3G 6MT!

wouldnt mind the AWD + 6MT combo!

I also want a 2001-2002 4runner!

lol the trouble of being a car enthusiast.